Manifesto
Education Report
re•generation is a Canadian youth-led nonprofit empowering the next generation of leaders to re•think how the economy can better serve human and ecological well-being. We aim to help students and young professionals find clean careers and take action in their schools or organizations. Our team consists of 11 young people who have come together to realize our vision of a better future. You can learn more in the ‘About Us’ section of our website.
We are always looking to connect with impact-minded young people who are looking to make change in their schools, communities, or companies! If you’d like to get more involved with re•generation’s work, please reach out to our Director of Research & Campaigns at chris@re-generation.ca.
We are currently hosting our first ‘Clean Economy Ambassador’ program, a national network of students and young professionals sharing knowledge and building connections to advance the just transition to a clean economy. We will be launching another round of applications later this year, so sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop!
Every job should be a climate job, and all employees have a role to play. If you are an employee who is looking to make change but don’t know where to begin, re•generation can help support you.
We are able to provide confidential one-on-one coaching, resources, and training to help anyone make change within their organization. If this would be helpful to you, please reach out to advocate@re-generation.ca with your specific request.
Our Employee Advocacy Toolkit (pages 1-9) includes an accessible, curated list of strategies and resources to help you in your changemaking journey. The Toolkit also includes detailed issue-specific guides along four key themes: ecological well-being, human well-being, business ethics, and business models and governance.
If you believe that your employer is engaging in unethical behaviour, or behaviour that is environmentally or socially damaging, we can help you navigate this difficult situation.
Specifically, re•generation can provide confidential advice and coaching to help guide you. To communicate securely, please download the messenger app Signal and reach out to the username “regeneration.99” or connect using the following link:
https://signal.me/#eu/l_DW83V2fKkhuRGTsWw45_97O-1bcUEOM0Ypp3pSqmeJNPvN0o9G45uWW2TZQ8cg
You can share as much or as little information as you want, and choose to remain anonymous if you prefer. No information you share with us will ever be shared without your explicit consent.
If you want to provide a tip or supporting documentation, anonymously or otherwise, you can also do so using the following encrypted form:
https://form.jotform.com/240624896834063
Please contact us before taking any action (such as downloading files from a corporate network) and never contact us while at work, nor using a device connected to your employer.
Greenwashing occurs when companies overstate or misrepresent their sustainability credentials in order to appear like they are doing more than they are. The UN High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Commitments has developed definitive technical guidelines to determine whether a “net-zero” commitment is genuine or not.
Many net-zero commitments risk greenwashing if they are not backed up by meaningful actions, clear interim plans, and transparent reporting. To be truly net-zero, companies need to be reducing emissions on a science-aligned timeline, and raising support for clean energy while phasing out fossil fuels (also known as “deep decarbonization”). This must be done in a way which respects human rights and Indigenous rights, does not destroy habitats, and does not rely on carbon offsets or negative emissions technologies in lieu of real emissions reductions. For a comprehensive checklist, see this report by ActionAid.
Greenwashing can look different for different sectors. For a fossil fuel company, it might involve claiming to be net-zero while using speculative carbon capture technologies to justify investing in fossil fuel expansion (see this Greenpeace guide). For a bank, it might mean reclassifying loans as ‘ESG’ or ‘green’ while still giving billions of dollars to the fossil fuel industry. For a consulting firm, it might mean claiming to be net-zero by purchasing offsets while continuing to provide high-level strategic advice to clients that are expanding fossil fuel production.
Greenwashing is increasingly being outlawed. A new AI tool known as ChatReport allows users to quickly assess greenwashing by uploading corporate sustainability reports (though it requires fact-checking). This tool is based on the red flag indicators developed by the Oxford Sustainable Finance Group.
re•generation’s Employee Advocacy Toolkit compiles many anti-greenwashing tools and resources over a large range of issues. This report from the Centre for Building Sustainable Value provides an integrated framework for assessing green claims or labels. To learn more about greenwashing and how to identify it, take this course developed by Creatives for Climate or check out their Greenwash Watch toolkit.
To learn more about how to evaluate greenwashing in each of our four demands (RAISE, REDUCE, RESPECT, RESTORE), see the following six questions listed on this FAQ document.
The clean economy refers to an economic system that prioritizes sustainability, health, and wellbeing for both people and the planet. In our campaign, we identify seven key sectors of the clean economy: Clean Energy, Ecosystem Restoration, Sustainable Food Systems, Impact Investing, Sustainable Mobility, Green Infrastructure, and Circular Economy.
Project Drawdown and Regeneration are two resource hubs with comprehensive descriptions of the solutions that are required to meet global climate goals. Check out our ‘Discover Clean Careers’ tab to find additional resources and opportunities to get involved in each sector.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) states that global annual clean energy investment will need to more than triple to $4 trillion by 2030 if we are to meet global climate goals. At a minimum, “raising support for clean energy” means tripling spending on renewable energy and doubling spending on energy efficiency, in line with the Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge announced at the 2023 global climate summit.
“Clean energy” is a contested term. The IEA’s definition of clean energy includes the following technologies: wind power, solar power, hydropower, marine power, geothermal, solid biomass, bioenergy, waste-to-energy, nuclear, hydrogen, and fossil fuels with carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). re•generation departs from this definition by excluding all forms of energy that are derived from hydrocarbons, including fossil fuels with CCUS and “blue hydrogen” (which is hydrogen derived from natural gas, coupled with CCUS). There are numerous reasons why fossil fuels with CCUS should not be considered a form of “clean energy”, given that they are often net-CO2 additive, can increase fossil fuel production, and can worsen carbon lock-in or delay the energy transition. For more information about this issue, see Myth #5 on our ‘Debunk Fossil Fuel Myths’ tab.
There are many risks associated with over-investing in hydrogen production. While hydrogen can be a non-emitting fuel source for sectors that are hard to electrify (such as steel or shipping), hydrogen can only be sustainable if it is “green hydrogen”, or hydrogen that is produced through the electrolysis of water using only renewable electricity. Green hydrogen is very expensive to produce, and represents just 0.04% of global hydrogen production. Blue hydrogen, whereas, has been shown to have a substantially higher greenhouse gas footprint than burning gas, coal or diesel oil for heating. Despite intensive lobbying by the fossil fuel industry, the role of hydrogen in the clean energy transition is limited.
There are also major limitations to the use of biomass or biofuels as a clean energy source. Research about the emissions intensity of biofuels is often conflicting, although it is acknowledged that second generation biofuels (i.e. biofuels from waste biomass) have the potential to reduce emissions. The combustion of solid biomass (logs, wood chips or pellets) emits large quantities of carbon, potentially between 3% and 50% more than coal. Most ethanol production is currently made from plant starches and sugars, which raises equity and sustainability concerns about land use, biodiversity loss, and the displacement of food production. Most importantly, naturally growing forests should under no circumstances be harvested to create biofuels. Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) has numerous feasibility and sustainability concerns; it has never been proven on a commercial scale, and offsetting only a third of today’s fossil fuel emissions through BECCS would require using half of the world’s total crop-growing area. Accordingly, BECCS should not be relied on as a negative emissions technology.
The EU Taxonomy is a classification system that outlines which economic activities can be considered “green” or not, based on screening criteria that are derived from scientific recommendations. This Taxonomy calculator includes a searchable database of all eligible activities, with further information about their green attributes. To see more about what individual financial institutions are doing to advance the transition, see the following databases:
- Reclaim Finance - Sustainability Policy Tracker
- Bloomberg - Financing the Transition Report
- Corporate Knights - 2022 Sustainable Banking Revenues
To learn more about different proposed clean energy solutions, see the following Clean Energy Technology Guide by the IEA, or this report by the Exponential Roadmap Initiative.
In May of 2021, the International Energy Agency announced that no new oil, gas and coal projects can be approved if the world is to reach net zero emissions by 2050 while limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C as determined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. This threshold is the maximum temperature increase we can sustain without causing large-scale and irreversible damage to the Earth and human society.
Fossil fuel expansion is considered to be any new project that increases the extraction of oil, coal or gas with an investment decision made after December 31st, 2021. Fossil fuel phase-out is the deliberate and planned reduction of fossil fuels, with the goal of replacing these energy sources with renewable energy. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), coal, oil, and gas are required to decrease by 95%, 60%, and 45%, respectively, by 2050 relative to 2019 levels. Over 200+ global companies representing $1.5 trillion in annual revenue have called for fossil fuel phase-out as part of the We Mean Business coalition.
The global carbon budget is the total amount of fossil fuels that we can safely burn to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. To track individual fossil fuel projects which are overshooting the global carbon budget, see the Global Registry of Fossil Fuels and the Carbon Bombs Database. To track how fossil fuel companies are investing in expansion, see the “IEA NZE expansion overshoot” column of the data from the Global Oil and Gas Exit List and the Global Coal Exit List.
To learn more about how individual financial institutions rank on their fossil fuel investments, see the following databases:
- Rainforest Action Network - Banking on Climate Chaos Report 2023
- Urgewald - Investing in Climate Chaos 2023
- Reclaim Finance - Oil and Gas Policy Tracker
- Reclaim Finance - Coal Policy Tracker
- Insure Our Future - 2022 Scorecard
- Private Equity Climate Risks - Private Equity Energy Tracker
- Carbon Tracker - Net Zero Finance Report Card
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has determined that in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C, greenhouse gas emissions need to peak before 2025 at the latest and be reduced by 43% by 2030. To achieve this, all businesses, financial institutions, and governments must adopt climate transition plans which are aligned with science.
The UN High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Commitments has developed the definitive technical guidelines for what constitutes a credible climate transition plan. Over 13,000 organizations have joined the UN Race to Zero initiative, which has established robust criteria and leadership principles for all members. Private sector organizations should set targets in line with the recommendations of the Science-Based Targets Initiative, which has determined that all firms should on average be reducing their emissions by 4.2-6% annually.
The We Mean Business coalition has developed a framework called the 4 A’s of Climate Leadership, listing key actions which companies must take to be considered climate leaders. Adopting a climate action transition plan includes four central components: an emissions reduction plan across the value chain; integration into business strategy and governance; advocacy for public policy; and a focus on a just transition (see this checklist). Check out the 1.5 Degree Business Playbook by the Exponential Roadmap Initiative for other actionable strategies.
Companies must not rely excessively on carbon offsets, carbon credits, negative emissions technologies, or carbon removal technologies as a substitute for real emissions reductions. A credible offsetting strategy should only be used as a last resort, and should align with the Oxford Principles for Net-Zero Aligned Offsetting.
Companies must lobby for progressive climate policies, and abide by the Global Standard on Responsible Climate Lobbying. This means exiting trade associations which obstruct climate action, and actively advocating for strong regulations to accelerate the energy transition. For more information, see the work of ClimateVoice or InfluenceMap.
Corporations must also commit to a just transition for all workers and communities. For more information, see the just transition resource platform developed by the We Mean Business coalition.
For more information about the performance of individual companies, see the following databases:
Indigenous rights are collective rights that are held by Indigenous peoples and stem from their ongoing occupation and use of their territories. The rights of Indigenous peoples received international recognition and affirmation when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which the Government of Canada passed legislation to adopt in 2021. Neither the United Nations nor Canada bestowed Indigenous people with rights - the rights of Indigenous peoples are inherent and co-constitute each Indigenous group's unique social and political structures.
Indigenous sovereignty is the authority of Indigenous political and legal institutions to make decisions within their territory. Indigenous sovereignty is often contested by the competing claims of a colonial government. Canada's assertion of sovereignty over areas in which Indigenous groups already have sovereignty creates greater uncertainty in a number of areas, including the governance of natural resource development. The issues stemming from overlapping assertions of sovereignty over Indigenous peoples' territories are ongoing and unresolved.
The right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) is a minimum framework for how the rights of Indigenous peoples must be upheld with respect to corporate activity on Indigenous lands. The 92nd Call to Action identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission includes the following provision: “We call upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources.”
For further information, see the following papers:
- Yellowhead Institute - Land Back: A Yellowhead Institute Red Paper
- Union of BC Indian Chiefs - Consent Paper
- Oxfam International - Consent is Everybody’s Business
*Written in collaboration with Josh Kioke
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework outlines a new global target to restore 30% of all degraded ecosystems and conserve 30% of land, water, and seas by 2030. The UN Decade on Restoration began in 2021, calling on corporations and governments to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems.
Companies must stop engaging in or enabling activities which contribute to habitat loss, deforestation, or land degradation. The Science-Based Targets Network aims to help organizations set concrete goals and targets for reversing nature loss. UN Race to Zero calls on its members to achieve deforestation-free supply chains by 2025, and the UN High-Level Expert Group requires “eliminating deforestation and peatland loss by 2025 at the latest, and the conversion of other remaining natural ecosystems by 2030.”
The Accountability Framework Initiative provides a roadmap for achieving ethical supply chains in a way that protects forests and human rights. Their Deforestation Risk Toolset helps organizations track supply chain exposure to deforestation. The Science-Based Targets Initiative has also developed guidance on Forests, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) specifically for land-intensive industries. Global Forest Watch and Trase.Earth provide real-time data to help organizations trace and limit deforestation.
Corporations can also reverse nature loss by supporting natural climate solutions. However, corporations should not seek to convert ecosystems or ecosystem services into “nature-based assets” that can be bought or sold like any other commodity, or rely on dangerous schemes like “biodiversity offsetting.” To read more about the dangers of financializing nature, see our article on nature-based solutions. For further information, check out the guidance principles on nature-based climate solutions developed by the We Mean Business Coalition, as well as their nature-based solutions resource hub.
If your organization is interested in publicly endorsing our campaign, please indicate so on this public endorsement form. We will list the names of these endorsing organizations on our website.
If you would like to share or promote our campaign on your social media channels, please check out our media kit!
If you would like to submit a job opening to feature on our ‘Discover Clean Careers’ page, please do so using this job board registration form. If you would like to submit a volunteer position, training opportunity, or event to promote on our ‘Discover Clean Careers’ page, please do so using this form.
For website or media-related requests, our communications team can be reached at communication@re-generation.ca.